BJ as a teenager played sports. Basketball and football were his passions. I remember a football story BJ told me. “I would run thru the offensive player playing against me. Wham! Give him something to think about next time he was in my area.” BJ was a competitor. He also loved playing Basketball as a teenager.
BJ had a brother that I met in the seventies at one of our Birthday Party’s. BJ was a father. He had one son I knew of that was born in the early eighties that grew up in LA.
BJ loved cooking for his friends. Every year I would take him shopping for our Birthday feast. His famous bean dishes (Meat and vegetarian). We would go to Rainbow for the spices, the Mission for the vegetables and Divsadero and Hayes for the meat. BJ didn’t eat pork. He would soak the beans the night before and labor the next day cutting the makings for his finest dish. BJ would end up with two big pots full of the most delicious meal, one vegetarian and one meat. I would wonder how it would all be eaten but every year when BJ served up these dishes, his friends would devour the BJ special blend.
This event was very important to BJ. To see his friends satisfied was one of the joy’s BJ truly enjoyed. Serving came natural. BJ always made people feel their worth was appreciated.
I have know BJ for almost the last half of his life (34 years) and durning that time the healthiest relationship he had was with Marie Helene. BJ’s health and well being improved when he met Marie Helene. That probably gave him many satisfying years of living that he wouldn‘t have experienced if it wasn‘t for Marie Helene.
I love you BJ and you will always be in my memories.
Doug O’Connor / birthday brother
doug4rs@yahoo.com
